End Table Redo

END TABLE REDO LOOKS LIKE NIGHT AND DAY! 

Look at this old, ugly little end table thingy. I didn't even know if it would be worth saving!

BEFORE PICTURE END TABLE 

AFTER PICTURE END TABLE 

I was using it in the basement and had topped it with some leftover granite that we had after
redoing our basement guest bathroom. It was so heavy we kept thinking it would fall over
and land on somebody's foot! EEK!

Here is the granite table topper. It is way too heavy for this wobbly little table. Plus the edges were rough since it was a leftover piece. So last week I decided to paint it and see if I could improve on it.

So I sanded it and primed it....and then painted it with black RUSTOLEUM SPRAY PAINT.

I just sprayed it out in the backyard on the grass. Heck, when the hubs mows it again, you'll
never know I was there! Well, maybe after 2 mowings....snicker.....

It took about 2 coats of paint before it looked about right.

Here's my paint. I like this ULTRA COVER RUSTOLEUM PAINT in combination with the VALSPAR PRIMER underneath.

So here is my finished little table.  It looks a lot better than when I started! 

I got the top as a tray from HOBBY LOBBY and glued it on top with LIQUID NAILS.

 I used a coupon and got the tray for $11.00! What a steal! It's a little dusty because we
just got done with these new wood floors and all the wood dust is everywhere in my house!

I'll have to find a nice little spot for this repurposed little table,

 won't I? 

Broccoli and Bacon Salad

This Studio 5 Salad has Broccoli, bacon, nuts and raisins in it. I'd use Cashews! 

Do you remember the first day of summer vacation when you had all these wonderful goals? I was going to spend a half hour in the "garden of weedin', a half hour on my messy hoarder closets, and a half hour in my loosely termed "exercise" room/basement. And I lasted about a half hour on that plan. 

I  wasted so much time this past summer playing and just dinkin' around, watching those decorating shows and the gardening shows, and those shows that teach you all about hoarders and trying to organize your "stuff" that I thought maybe I was just organizing vicariously through all those guests on the makeover shows! Maybe I could learn to organize in my sleep! (that would be awesome) 

Even though I don't really like the sh-- word, I had to laugh at this e-card.....Its so me! 

Well, I'm very proud to say this week I have spent almost a half hour in my garden weeding. And one flower bed is looking much less like its gone haywire. I really hate to weed. It's probably my least favorite household chore of all,  Yuck. But look at my garden now! I can actually see progress! 

My hydrangeas are doing so so, not as good as last year...but surviving!  

You can't kill an onion plant, believe me, I've ignored mine!  And look at my crappy soil! It is amazing anything grows!  

Broccoli and Bacon salad is a great fall dish to make...one of my favorite salads too! 

This Broccoli and Bacon Salad has nuts added, cashews would be so delish added! It's from Grocery Cart Challenge.

 If only I can only keep up my goal of weekly weeding in the garden instead watching THE CHEW or watching Nate do his decorating thang, or watching my favorite cooking shows on my DVR! 

I have 3 colors of Hydrangea bushes in my backyard...I love the blue ones the best.

We got a few tomatoes in September....and here's our haul this week....just a few left now.....

This Broccoli, Bacon and Raisin Salad  is from The Southern Lady Cooks.

Anyways,  here is a veggie salad recipe that is so great for a get together pot luck dish or any side dish. It's fresh and crunchy and I always get compliments on it when I bring it to anything. 

Meat Candy...hahaha.....Love it! Bacon makes everything taste better! 

FRESH BROCCOLI AND BACON SALAD

This Broccoli and Bacon Salad added blue cheese. My hubs would like this one....It's from Yogi Butter.

Ingredients for Broccoli, Bacon and Craisin Salad

• 2-3 heads (or 4 cups) fresh broccoli, cut into florets 
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 7-8 slices of bacon, cooked and diced
• 3/4 cup Craisins (dried cranberries)
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds or cashews 

Dressing: 

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup white sugar 
• 2  tablespoons red wine vinegar

I love this salad for fall. I'm going to gobble up a whole bowl! 

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Halloween Table Decoration

I got some fun new stuff for my house for my favorite holiday...Halloween! 

And I spread it all over the place decorating for Halloween!  Here is my front entry table... Trick or Treat! 

The skeleton dish and candle are new, and the glass Happy Halloween plate are new too... I love this purple and black decor! 

And who can resist Helga the Witch? She keeps the candy safe till Halloween....

she is relegated to the corner of my living room for now! 

I LOVE this cute candy corn decoration made from yarn and an inverted snow cone paper. You could also make it with just cardstock twirled into a cone shape. I love it with the wiggly eyes and mouth! This was from Craft Passion.

Mix mingle glow had this cute pumpkin decoration made completely of balloons! I LOVE balloon decorations. They always make such a statement!  

Mason jars with colored water with toy insects added....I have TONS of toy insects! Go get 'em from the dollar store. This would be inexpensive and easy to do. Kids would love it at a Halloween Party! Thanks to Mix Mingle and Glow.

My daughter did a simple table decoration with candy corn. She placed a long, thin, glass inside the canister then filled the outside edges with candy corn. 

Then she added these cute pumpkin chair backs for Halloween decor.....

Here is my table decor. I got black plates last year.  The centerpiece was a birthday present from my daughter...she has good taste. Thanks Tiffany! 

I think I'll take this Halloween centerpiece to school so my little second graders can enjoy it!  

Cute salt and pepper shakers from Pier 1 Imports....I love them so much! 

Well the kitchen is done....now on to the other rooms....Halloween Decorating is so much fun!  

I got a set of these glass orange beads, glass black bats and glass white ghosts to sprinkle around my Halloween Table Decor....isn't it sweet?  That was Pier 1 again.  This would be a fun fall gift I think too. Everybody who sees them thinks they are so cute!  I think so too! 

Halloween Decorating Outdoors

My ront entry table. The poor jackie at the bottom got sat on by somebody and his eye is messed up! But it just makes him look creepier! Don't it?

Here is my boring little front yard this Halloween. I really need to spice it up a little bit, don't I? So I went on an internet hunt.....da dum.....da dum....(jaws music in the background as I hunt...) 

Here I am in my cool costume as Jessie from Toy Story. I made the costume myself! Aren't I the crafty one with a glue gun! LOL. 

Here's a picture of my daughter's family I took this past October. Argh! Mateys! It was a fun Halloween. I love decorating for Halloween. Here are some fun ideas I found to try this year!

Cute end table all decorated in Halloween fun. 

How easy would these milk cartons be to line your walkway for Halloween?  Inspiring Pretty  had lots of other ideas too....so Get started saving milk cartons NOW!  

Real Moms real views had a cute idea with black crows and orange pumpkins to Halloweeny up your front porch with the Halloween colors. Very cute!

These guys look even more fun than mine. My neighbor goes all out on Halloween. She's even
got a movie showing up on her garage door. Too fun!  

These funky skeletons on Celebrate Halloween.com's website were so simple yet so cute lining the path. 

I love shepherd's hooks in my yard. I have them everywhere. And for this reason; I can change the thing I hand on them with the seasons. I use a giant red jingle bell at Christmas, a Turkey at Thanksgiving, a Pumpkin or two at Halloween.  Check out dofaso's website. for more ideas.

Craft Passion had this cute tutorial on making ghost outdoor lights from ping pong balls and a string of white lights...SUPER CUTE!  My grandkids would LOVE these! 

At Float Project.org they did a great front porch all decked out for Halloween. I love the simple wreath on the door! 
I better get my stuff out and get busy decorating. October is right around the corner! And I want to be all ready since Halloween is my favorite holiday!